What Wonders on A Small Budget!

Rating: Null/10 (27 July 2003)

After suffering through Ang Lee's terminally-ill, glacier-paced "action" film "The Hulk," a truly disappointing effort from a brilliant director, I had serious reservations about seeing a similar kind of film that same week. Both films, after all, deal with a science experiment run amok, both films have as their central theme rage & anger, and both have a central, sympathetic protagonist who is trying to deal with the often self-centered horrors of science.
Surprise, surprise--Danny Boyle's shoe-string budgeted film (shot in atmospheric, grainy digital video)is everything Ang Lee's film isn't: it's tightly paced, filled with interesting characters, there's REAL suspense, and (above all) an interesting idea that's explored from a variety of angles.
In recent weeks, showing two possible endings to the film in the theater is also a great idea. For those of us who like to have serious discussions about ideas, characters, and motivations after a film, "28 Days Later . . ." is a very cool way to spend a hot summer night.